Academics

School of Interior Architecture & Design

STEAm logo with a white background

Create dynamic interiors using innovative approaches to space, materials, and light. Beginning with your first semester in our STEM-designated, CIDA-accredited program, you’ll create spaces that change the way people live, work, and connect.

You’ll move from design fundamentals into full commercial projects, developing research-driven solutions. Along the way, you’ll gain fluency in the design process: concept development, documentation, presentation, and execution.

Sustainability is built into the curriculum. You’ll explore environmentally conscious design, learning how to conserve resources, choose non-toxic materials, and design for harmony with the natural world.

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Fast Facts

    More To Know

    Here, learning is hands-on from day one. You’ll tackle 2D and 3D design challenges—sketching, modeling, and presenting scaled concepts that push ideas into reality.

    Projects fuse conceptual vision with practical application, giving you real-world skills you’ll carry from studio to job site. Guided by faculty who are active in the industry, you’ll sharpen your craft across aesthetics, business strategy, and advanced tools like visualization and BIM.

    Whether you want to lead design teams, craft immersive experiences, or reimagine what interiors can be, this program is your launchpad. This isn’t just design school, it’s the beginning of your career.

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    Undergraduate
    AA
    BFA
    Certificate
    Graduate
    MA
    MFA
    Other
    Upskill Classes
    Pre-College

    Student Experience

    Academy Award winners. Tech founders. Creative directors. CEOs. They join us live and on Zoom from around the world. They speak from experience. About the work. The risk. The path forward. No theory. Just real stories from people who’ve done it.

    Every student is welcome. On campus or online. To listen. To ask questions. To make connections. These are conversations, not lectures.

    Student Clubs

    Whether you are an on-campus or online student you are welcome to join our student clubs. You’ll meet up, share ideas, and create art together. Sometimes it’s a quick sketch. Sometimes it turns into something big, a collaboration that lasts a lifetime. It’s always fun.

    Careers

    In our CIDA-accredited program, you’ll create spaces that transform how people live, work, and connect. With sustainability as a core value and high-impact projects as your proving ground, you’ll graduate ready to lead and redefine the future of design.

    • AutoCAD/BIM Designer
    • FF&E Designer
    • Job Captain
    • Project Designer
    • Visualization Specialist

    Student Work

    See More Student Work

    Disha Tomar

    Daisy Cui

    Elizabeth Bovill

    Elnaz Ebadi

    Hongli Zhao

    Study with Industry Professionals

    View Faculty

    Facilities That Fuel Creativity

      Open Studio

      Studio Space

      Studio classrooms are open by design—floor plans that spark interaction between Landscape Architecture, Architecture, and Interior Architecture students. Online or on-site, the facilities are built for access, dialogue, and shared momentum.

      Open Atrium School of Architecture Academy of Art University San Francisco

      Atrium Gallery

      Our atrium is the heart of the school—a dynamic space for live events, public lectures, and showcases of student work. It’s an open, welcoming space and always in motion.

      Presentation Space

      Presentation Space

      Presentation spaces are where you can experience live events, public lectures, and presentations of student work.

      Lounge

      Lounge

      Student lounges provide informal spaces to gather and connect.

      Digital Fabrication Lab

      Digital Fabrication Lab

      From laser cutters to 3D printers to CNC routers, our digital fabrication labs are engineered for precision. Shop technicians are on hand to help you map the workflow that turns raw material into realized form.

      Wood Shop

      Wood Shop

      Our wood shop is built for precision and practice—outfitted with band saws, drill presses, jointers, planers, miter saws, panel saws, shapers, and table routers. Four SawStop table saws reinforce our commitment to craft and safety.

      Metal Shop

      Metal Shop

      Our metal shop supports a full range of fabrication processes—including welding—designed to take your concepts from sketch to structure.

      Print Lab

      Print Lab

      The print lab is equipped with a large-format plotter and a small-format color copier and scanner—purpose-built for the plans, drawings, and presentations architecture students bring to life in class.

      Computer Labs

      Computer Labs

      Cutting-edge digital workstations, loaded with the latest software and new media technology, keep you at the front edge of design. A lab technician is available during business hours to keep your tools aligned with your workflow.

      Materials Library

      Materials Library

      From large-format color printing to scanning and small-format production tools, our library equips you to bring concepts to life with precision.

      San Francisco Design Center

      San Francisco Design Center

      Our home city of San Francisco puts you at the center of one of the world’s most innovative design communities. The San Francisco Design Center is one of the finest and most accessible design showrooms in the country. This is where inspiration meets opportunity.

      COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY OUR STUDENTS

      HBA, Gensler, and BAMO logos
      Forrest Perkins and Puccini Group logos

      Online Learning

      Design Spaces. Build Futures. Anywhere.
      Academy of Art University’s STEM-designated, CIDA-accredited online Interior Architecture & Design program gives you the full studio experience, no matter where you’re located.

      Built to match our on-campus curriculum, this program is powered by the same expert instructors, the same tools, and the same creative energy. You’ll collaborate across disciplines, compete for industry awards, and grow alongside a global community of peers—all while studying on your schedule.

      Both BFA and MFA programs are fully accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), ensuring your education meets the highest industry standards. Whether you’re designing from Florence, Fresno, or your own living room, you’re gaining the skills to shape space and lead change.

      Online Learning Program
      UXUI online

      Students & Alumni

      Always Creating. Always Moving Forward.

      At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation; it accelerates. Our students leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés, catapulting them into creative careers.

      This is where passion meets purpose—on campus, in studios, and on global stages.

      Our alumni are out there now winning awards, leading teams, and shaping culture.

      Read More Success Stories
      Elizabeth Bovill

      Elizabeth Bovill

      “The Academy is amazing. It’s unlike any college experience I’ve seen because it blends real-world experience with education so effectively. Our professors work in the field while teaching, and their passion matches the students’. That energy motivates me to keep pushing myself. They challenge us because they’ve been through it themselves and truly understand what it takes.”

      BFA Interior Architecture Student

      Katarina Marin Meyer

      Katarina Marin Meyer

      “I hold multiple degrees, and compared to my European universities, this one has been far more practical and career-focused. The Academy truly prepares you for the real world, offering courses you don’t find elsewhere, such as sustainability and green design. Even as an online student, the experience has been incredibly engaging, and I’ve built strong, supportive relationships with my instructors.”

      MFA Interior Architecture Recent Graduate, Founder of Organic Interiors

      Nicole Poplewko

      Nicole Poplewko

      “I would absolutely recommend the Academy. The environment is kind and welcoming, and even as an online student, I’ve always felt connected to the school and my classmates. Most importantly, I feel well-prepared to succeed in my career while also having the foundation to explore other areas of the design world.”

      MFA Interior Architecture, Creative Direction & Studio Operations Lead | Space & Set Designer at Art Force Studios

      Saba Raji

      Saba Raji

      “The Academy played a huge role in my success. From the beginning, my professors encouraged me to think beyond tools and discover my own voice in architecture. That encouragement, believing I could do more if I worked hard, was a turning point. The Academy’s culture of support and inspiration truly shaped who I am as a designer.”

      MFA Interior Architecture, Technical Designer for Gensler

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